LCC127 Guts FINAL - California

1 league of California Cities1 Rosenberg s Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentary Procedures for the 21st CenturyAbout the league of California CitiesEstablished in 1898, the league of California cities is a mem-ber organization that represents California s incorporated league strives to protect the local authority and autonomyof city government and help California s cities effectively servetheir residents. In addition to advocating on cities behalf at thestate capitol, the league provides its members with professionaldevelopment programs and information resources, conductseducational conferences and research, and publishes WesternCitymagazine.

2 About Western CityMagazineWestern Cityis the league of California cities ' monthly maga-zine. Western Cityprovides lively, interdisciplinary analyses ofissues affecting local governance. Its goal is to offer immediatelypractical ideas, information and bigger-picture policy issues andtrends. For more information, visit Rosenberg s Rules of Order first appeared in Western Citymagazine in August and September :To be recognized and respected as the leading advocate for the common interests ofCalifornia :To restore and protect local control for cities through education and advocacy to enhancethe quality of life for all the AuthorDave Rosenberg is an elected county supervisor representingthe 4th District in Yolo County.

3 He also serves as director ofcommunity and intergovernmental relations, director of opera-tions, and senior advisor to the governor of California . He hasserved as a member and chair of numerous state and localboards, both appointed and elected, and also served on theDavis City Council for 12 years, including two terms as has taught classes on parliamentary procedure and hasserved as parliamentarian for large and small governing the fall of 2003, Gov. Davis appointed Rosenberg as a judgeof the Yolo County Superior K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814(916) 658-8200 Fax (916) order additional copies of this publication, call (916) 658-8257 or visit 2003 league of California cities .

4 All rights rules of procedure at meetingsshould be simple enough for mostpeople to understand. Unfortunately,that hasn t always been the case. Virtu-ally all clubs, associations, boards, coun-cils and bodies follow a set of rules,Robert s Rules of Order, which are em-bodied in a small but complex no one I know has actuallyread this book cover to yet, the book was written foranother time and purpose. If you arerunning the British Parliament, Robert sRules of Orderis a dandy and quite use-ful handbook. On the other hand, ifyou re running a meeting of a five-member body with a few members ofthe public in attendance, a simplifiedversion of the rules of parliamentaryprocedure is in order.

5 Hence, the birthof Rosenberg s Rules of Order. This publication covers the rules of parliamentary procedure based on my20 years of experience chairing meetingsin state and local government. Theserules have been simplified and slimmeddown for 21st century meetings, yetthey retain the basic tenets of order towhich we are accustomed. Rosenberg s Rules of Order are sup-ported by the following four principles: 1. Rules should establish purpose of the rules of parlia-mentary procedure is to establish aframework for the orderly conduct of meetings.

6 2. Rules should be ruleslead to wider understanding and participation. Complex rules createtwo classes: those who understandand participate and those who do not fully understand and do not fully participate. 3. Rules should be , the rules must be simple enoughthat citizens feel they have been ableto participate in the process. 4. Rules should enforce the will of the majority while protecting therights of the ultimatepurpose of the rules of procedure isto encourage discussion and to facili-tate decision-making by the body.

7 Ina democracy, the majority rules. Therules must enable the majority toexpress itself and fashion a result,while permitting the minority to alsoexpress itself (but not dominate) andfully participate in the Chairperson Should Take aBack Seat During DiscussionsWhile all members of the governingbody should know and understand therules of parliamentary procedure, it isthe chairperson (chair) who is chargedwith applying the rules of conduct. The chair should be well versed in thoserules, because the chair, for all intentsand purposes, makes the FINAL ruling onthe rules.

8 In fact, all decisions by thechair are FINAL unless overruled by thegoverning body itself. Because the chair conducts the meeting,it is common courtesy for the chair totake a less active role than other mem-bers of the body in debates and discus-sions. This does notmean that the chairshould not participate in the debate ordiscussion. On the contrary, as a mem-ber of the body, the chair has full rightsto participate in debates, discussions and decision-making. The chair should,however, strive to be the last to speak atthe discussion and debate stage, andshould not make or second a motionunless he or she is convinced that noother member of the body will do Basic Format for an Agenda Item DiscussionFormal meetings normally have a written,published agenda; informal meetingsmay have only an oral or understoodagenda.

9 In either case, the meeting isgoverned by the agenda and the agendaconstitutes the body s agreed-upon roadmap for the meeting. And each agendaitem can be handled by the chair in thefollowing basic ,the chair should clearly announcethe agenda item number and shouldclearly state what the subject is. Thechair should then announce the formatthat will be ,following that agenda format,the chair should invite the appropriatepeople to report on the item, includingany recommendation they might appropriate person may be thechair, a member of the governing body, Rosenberg s Rules of Order: Simple Parliamentary Procedures for the 21st CenturyThere are exceptions to the general rule of freeand open debate on motions.

10 The exceptions allapply when there is a desire to move Dave RosenbergLeague of California Cities2a staff person, or a committee chaircharged with providing informationabout the agenda ,the chair should ask members of the body if they have any technicalquestions for clarification. At this point,members of the governing body may askclarifying questions to the people whoreported on the item, and they should be given time to ,the chair should invite publiccomments or, if appropriate at a formalmeeting, open the meeting to publicinput.